A Warm Welcome.

[pekeleke]

Title: A Warm Welcome.

Fandom: Harry potter (Snarry)

Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape.

Author: pekeleke.

Rating: G.

Word count: 942.

Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. No money is being made out of this work.

A/N: Unbetaed. Written for the adventdrabbles (DW,LJ, IJ) 2013 Prompt 14: Hot Chocolate.

This is the eleventh part of my Harry Potter And The Clueless Prince series.

Summary: In which our shocked Prince receives the most unexpected visitors...

 
A Warm Welcome.

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Severus sits ram-rod straight in his chair, feeling ill at ease despite the fact that he's in his own office, surrounded by all his things and as firmly entrenched in his own turf as any man can be...

His peaceful morning has been interrupted by the first non-school or order-related visit that he's ever received from a couple he's known for years. A couple who has dared to arrive in his office unannounced and call themselves his... in-laws.

Molly Weasley entered his sanctuary like a hurricane not ten minutes ago, disregarded his polite formal welcome with a rudeness that left him gaping and had the audacity to hug him so tightly that he'd feared for the integrity of his rib-cage while she plastered him against her bosom for an interminable long minute. Then she'd invited herself to a mug of hot chocolate and cookies before her husband finally intervened:

“Sorry to disturb you, Severus, but Molly wanted to visit as soon as the copy of Harry's Christmas ball appeared on the family tree.”

“You've received a copy of Harry's ball?” Severus squeaks with sudden -and horrified- understanding of what has brought them here. His gaze darts towards Molly's delighted face and he shrinks in his chair, feeling way out of his depth.

“We performed the magic less than two hours ago. How did you find out about it so soon?” He questions warily, trying to adjust to the idea that he's expected to cope with having an ancient Heart Magic spell label him as Harry's rightful partner while confronting the brat's de-facto parents. The shock of it all keeps him pinned to his seat, unable to do anything more taxing than blink owlishly at the grinning pair while he attempts to decide if he's merely anxious or has gone already past that and is now firmly inhabiting the unpleasant domain of proper, hair-raising fear.

“The family copy appears on our tree within five minutes of the original's creation, Severus. I was over the moon when I saw the new match-ball. I've been waiting for Charlie's since he brought his strapping Swedish colleague home last Easter, so I was understandably surprised when it turned out to be Harry's. I'd given up hope on the poor lad after he spent the last six months moping non-stop about how thickheaded...”

“Molly, dear... I'm pretty sure Severus shouldn't be hearing that. We don't want to frighten him away, do we? Harry will never forgive us if we mess this up.” Arthur interrupts her hastily, passing her the loaded plate of cookies with an unsightly wiggle of his balding eyebrows that Severus has the dismaying suspicion he actually considers subtle.

“Oh, I see... I know we agreed that you'll speak to the headmaster, sweet-cheeks, but I'm so excited about this that I can't keep myself in check. I'm all aflutter. I can't have scared him already, can I?  I've hardly said a word!” She whispers way too loudly to keep their interaction private and Severus blinks stupidly, unable to come up with a single thing to say while she grabs the plate of cookies so hard that her knuckles turn snow-white and eyes him up and down with growing distress.

“You're not afraid of little old us, are you, Severus? You faced the Dark Lord without a qualm...”

“I'm not afraid of you, Molly. I just can't understand why you're here. You don't sound particularly worried about the match.”

“Why should we be worried? There's nothing wrong with the match. That charm has never steered a Weasley wrong, it's why the family marriages are so strong.”

Severus frowns, growing more bewildered by the second about the purpose of their visit .
“Why have you come all the way here, then, if you're not planing to interfere?”

Molly gasps, bringing her plump hands upwards to cover her mouth in a gesture of such stricken pity that Severus becomes stiff from head to toes.

“Oh, Merlin, this poor boy, Arthur! It's no wonder our clock claimed he's 'overwhelmed and confused'. That's why we're here, Severus, dear. We panicked a bit when we read that. Usually everyone comes into the clock feeling 'jubilant'.”

Severus blinks, gobsmacked.
“My name appeared on your family clock, too?”

“Of course. It manifested as soon as the match-ball named you. I can't understand why you look so shocked. You're Harry's partner, Severus. You're one of us now.”

“I'm...”

“Severus! Ron says his parents are coming to Hogwarts. They'll...” The sudden flare of the floo system, announcing an internal call precedes Harry's alarmed voice by a second. Thankfully Molly cuts him off before he can go on any further.

“We're already here, Harry. Why don't you cross over, dear? Severus may cope better with the shock of being welcomed into the family if you hold his hand or something. He looks a bit shaken already. And thin. Too thin for my taste. I may have to add an extra partridge to the Christmas menu...”

“Wait, Molly. Just wait. I'm not sure we'll attend Christmas dinner at the Burrow this year. Severus is... he's been alone for a long time. He may not be ready to face the family so soon. We just got together and I don't want to pressure him into anything...” Harry whispers, looking greener than he ought to be for a floo-call.

“It's alright, Harry. I can cope with Christmas dinner. I may not be used to being part of a family, but this is... nice and I... I'm starting to believe that I'll be able to move mountains as long as you keep on moving them with me...”

 

TBC...

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